Prisons overview

Each of the department's prisons offer a unique function within the correctional system and are committed to keeping prisoners, staff and the community safe.

Over recent years infrastructure changes have been implemented to enhance prison security, access control, and to ensure safety measures are updated and reviewed in response to evolving criminal activities.

A prisoner’s ability to progress through the correctional system is managed through an individualised case management system. This system informs a prisoner’s assessed level of risk (both institutional and with regard to the community) as well as their level of behavioural compliance in accordance with the various prison regimes.

Once an offender re-enters the community (but remains under the department’s supervision via the enforcement of a community based order) supervision is managed in accordance with the department’s evidence-based practice of Enhanced Community Corrections.

The department’s relationship with other justice agencies including the South Australia Police, Department of Human Services and the Courts Administration Authority is critical to offender risk management and community safety.

Prison locations

There are nine prisons located across metropolitan and regional South Australia.

Metropolitan prisons

Regional prisons

Specialist prisons

There are four specialist prisons (AWP, APC, PLP and CTC) who are intentionally combined within the Community Corrections portfolio to ensure an increased focus on prisoner thoroughcare and reintegration upon release from prison into the community setting.

This aims to create synergies between custodial and community services within the department, particularly for those prisoners at the end of their sentences.